Fish Species

General Fishing Information

The brook trout fishery is mainly a put-and-take fishery with few holdover fish. Because of this the brook trout fishing is usually best in the spring and early-summer shortly after stocking. Good baits are worms, salted minnows and artificial natural baits (like Gulp or Powerbait) fished under a bobber. Flies, spinners, small stickbaits (like Rapalas) and spoons will also work for the trout

Fisheries Management

Jeffrey Pond is stocked annually with 1,100 one year-old (8-9") brook trout. All fish were removed from Jeffrey Pond in the summer of 1997 in an effort to restore the pond to a brook trout only fishery. The pond was surveyed during the summers of 1998, 1999 and spring of 2001. It was then determined that the management of Jeffrey Pond as a brook trout only fishery was not practical at this time. Either through avoidance of the rotenone treatment and/or illegal restocking, a substantial non-trout fish community has reestablished in the pond. Additionally, survival and growth of stocked brook trout was not significant enough to warrant future efforts to control non-trout fishes. Special regulations exist for trout in Chenango County so please review the Special Regulations by County section of your Freshwater Fishing Guide.

Fish Survey Report (2001)

Jeffrey Pond, Chenango County, was surveyed in the spring of 2001 as part of an on going effort to determine if significant growth and survival of brook trout had occurred since the reclamation in 1997. The reclamation was done in conjunction with the dam repair work which required a complete draw down of the lake.

The pond was boat electrofished during the daylight hours of April 30, 2001, resulting in the capture of just one holdover brook trout. Other species captured were largemouth bass, pumpkinseed, bullhead, and golden shiner. This survey concluded the post-reclamation monitoring effort. The unit's determination is that management of Jeffrey Pond as a brook trout only fishery is not practical at this time. Either through avoidance of the rotenone treatment and/or illegal restocking, a substantial non-trout fish community has reestablished in the pond. Additionally, survival and growth of stocked brook trout was not significant enough to warrant future efforts to control non-trout fishes. Furthermore, informal surveys of anglers who were using the pond during our various sampling efforts revealed a general lack of support for the trout only management effort.

On October 1, 2002, the special regulation prohibiting the use of fish as bait in Jeffrey Pond was rescinded. Future management efforts at Jeffrey Pond may include the re-stocking of yellow perch and largemouth bass into the pond to try and recreate the thriving pre-reclamation warmwater fishery which had existed.